Crucible-furnace.



G. MBLLEN.

CRUCIBLE FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.Q3,1H1.

Patented Dec. 15 1814.

IQJQXL.

(Was-yd:

GRENVILLE MELLEN, F MOUNT VERNON, NEH YORK.

CRU CIBLE-FURNACE.

Application filed February 23, 191.1.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRENVLLLE Mncmix, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Crucible- :uurnace, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a furnace adapted to general use,

largely applicable to melting metals, particularly adapted to the melting of scrap metal, such as clippings, turnings, filings, etc, which are to be converted into ingots for the trade, especial use being the lIllillllll of aluminum scraps which has heretotore been done at a loss of from ten to forty per cent. owing to the conversion into oxid, and which can be melted in my present furnace with the loss reduced to between one half and five per cent.

A turther object of this invention is to provide a furnace in which metal can be melted or material treated by heat in the atmosphere of a partial vacuum which enables the withdrawal of gases arising from the material being treated, and, in he case of the melting of metals, which shall do much to obviate the injurious effects which arise from the occlusion of gas.

With these and other objects in view, I have devised the novel furnace which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and using reference characters to indicate the several parts thereof, wherein,

Figure 1. is a sectional elevation of a furnace embodying my invention; Fig. 2. is a sectional plan view on line 2, 2, in Fig. 1, looking in the directions of the arrows.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two views.

The numeral 1 indicates the interior of a treating or melting chamber.

1 indicates a chamber adapted to contain the material to be treated, and made of such material as fire clay, or the like, and is, or acts in the capacity of, a crucible. Said chamber, 1 is shown inclosed within an airtight shell or chamber, 2, which I have shown enveloping and tightly fitting against the chamber or crucible, 1*.

4, indicates a circular insulating disk or cap of any suitable material, such as asbestos or the like fitting evenly on the upper face of the wall of the crucible, 1, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15., 1. 9,.

Serial No. GIOAAE.

fitting closely against the inner side of the wall of the airtight shell or chamber, 2, and substantially spaced from the cover, 3.

Upon the furnace parts so far described I provide a suitable lid or cover, 3, said lid or cover fitting substantially airtight upon the, shell or chamber, 2, by any suitable means. Lid or cover, 3, is shown provided with a flange having threads receiving corresponding threads on the rim of shell, 2. (dharnber l is connected with suitable means tor producing and maintaining a partial vacuum therein. F or this purpose any suitable means nay be provided. I. have shown vacuum pipe, lel, connected by union, ll, with the nipple, l l on cover, 3, c0mmunieating with an opening, 1%, in the cover, 3. l have also shown cover, 3, provided with a peep-hole, 13. In order to render peep-hole, 13, airtight it is Provided with a piece of glass, 13. shown held in place by washer, l3", and a sight-tube, l3, threaded as indi cated by 13, into a suitable opening in cover, 3. Both space, 4;, and insulating cover, 4:, serve to somewhat insulate the main cover, 3, from the direct action of the heat.

Numeral 5, indicates a wall of refractory material which surrounds and tightly fits against the airtight shell, 2, and serves to protect shell, 2, from the direct action of the flame.

6 indicates the combustion chamber.

(5, indicates the channels which pass up through the base-plate, 11, and through the refractory base-wall, 12, into the combustion chamber, 6, and which serve to admit the air from without so as to allow circulation within the combustion chamber, 6.

6 indicates the channels which pass through the refractory wall or covering, 12, and through the incasing metal sheet, 8, and which serve to allow the exit of the products of combustion. These channels, 6*, are connected with any suitable form of a flue.

11 indicates the feet or supports which are attached to the base-plate, 11, upon which the furnace rests.

indicates the top-plate which is similar in form to a washer and which rests upon the upper surface of the refractory wall, 12, and metal casing, 8.

9 indicates the bolts which bind the topplate, 10, to the base-plate, 11, and which serve to hold the furnace parts in their proper position.

12 in icates the surrounding or containing wall which incloses the vital arts of the furnace. 'Said refractory wa 12, is shown fitting tightly against the airtight shell, 2, thus servin to aid the support of the said airtight she I, 2, and thus also does much to insulate the outward upward radiation of heat.

9 indicates the nut at the end of the bolt, 9.

3 indicates the handles which are attached to the cover, 3, and by which said cover, 3, is engaged for the urpose of removing or placing it upon t e rim of the shell, 2.

7 indicates the channels which ass through the refractory wall, 12, and w ich serve to conduct the fuel into the combustion chamber, 6.

7 indicates the continuation of the fuel pipe, and communicates through part of the wall, 12, with the channel, 7.

7 indicates the continuation of the airpip; which connects with the fuel pipe, 7, at

To reduceor melt the material in the furnace the cover, 3, is removed, the crucible containing the material may be lowered into the chamber, 1, but owing to the fact of the prolonged life of the crucible, in practice the material is charged into the crucible after the latter is placed in chamber, 1, fitting tightly into the airtight shell or chamber-wall, 2, and the lid replaced substantially airtight upon the rim of the shell or chamber, 2. The vacuum is established within the melting chamber, 1, and maintained therein if desired. At this stage, if required, any gas may be admitted into the said chamber 1 through pipe 14", by operating suitable valves connecting a vacuum pump and supply of compressed gas, not shown the gas eing maintained therein if desired. Also if preferred any gas may be compressed therein and the pressure substantiall maintained. In this way the materia to be treated is heated in the atmosphere of a partial vacuum or in the atmosphere of any gas either under normal or increased ressure, as may be required. lhe material is placed in the furnace melting chamber, the

desired atmosphere established and maintained, the fuel ignited, the combustion maintained and regulated to create such'heat said shell, said cover having connected thereto a conduit through which gas may be introduced or withdrawn, a refractory covering for the gas-tight shell, and an inclosed combustion chamber surrounding the lower portion of said gas-tight shell and crucible and separated therefrom by awall of said refractory material.

3. A furnace comprising a crucible, a gastight shell, surrounding the bottom and sides of the crucible, a cover screwed on to said shell, said cover havin connectedthereto a conduit through whic gas ma be introduced or withdrawn, a lid for said crucible, spaced from said cover, and. a refractory coverin for the gas-tight shell.

4. A urnace com rising a crucible, a gastight shell, surroun ing the bottom and sides of the criicible, a cover screwed on to said shell, said cover havin connected .thereto a conduit throu h whic gas may be introduced or with rawn, handles attached to said ccver, and a refractory covering for the gas-tight shell.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State ct New York this 11th day of Februag A. D. 1911. I

Witnesses:

D. C. Mmmn,

Mam.

RENVILLE h!iELLEN. 

